Apparatus for the manufacture of hydrocarbon gas



(No Model.)

L. P. LOWE. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFAGTURE 0F HYDROGA'RBON GAS. No.405,426.

Patented June 18, 1889.

' ATTORN EYS UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

LEON P. LOIVE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HYDROCARBON GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,426, dated June 18,1889.

Application filed April 4, 1838. Serial No. 269,603- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEON P. LOWE, a citizen of the United States,residing; at Lynn,in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for the Manufactureof Hydrocarbon Gas, which improvement is fully set forth in thefollowing specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of apparatus for manufacturing hydrocarbon gasembodying novel features, as will be hereinafter fully set forth anddefinitely claimed.

Figure 1 represents avertical section of an apparatus for m anufacturinghydrocarbon gas embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a horizontalsection 011 line a3 00, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the twofigures.

Referring to the drawings, A and B represent two casings or chambersformed of metal and lined with fire-brick or other suitable refractorymaterial.

0 represents a stack, preferably of cylindrical form, for carrying offproducts of combustion and other purposes, the same being internallylined and forming a chamberD.

E represents an upward continuation of the stack 0, and in the same arelocated tubes or fiues similar to a tubular boiler. At the top of thechamberD is a valve F and at the bottom thereof is a valve G, the valveF being adapted to open and close communication between the chamber Dand the tubes in the portion E of the stack, the valve G being adaptedto open and close communication between the chamber D and the flue H,which latter is connected with the bottom of the stack 0 and that of thechamber B. Connected with the bottom of the stack 0 is a pipe I, whichis also connected with the chamber A; andJ represents a pipe connectingthe two chambers A B.

The pipe I is provided with a valve K, for regulating the flow of steamand air through said pipe. The chamber A is provided with valves L M,for regulating air-blasts to said chamber.

The upper portion E of the stack C is provided with an opening 0, forthe entrance of the cold blast to the said portion E.

Vithin the chamber D is a perforated head P, which is connected with asuitable pipe leading from the water-supply, whereby water may besprayed into said chamber.

Q Q represent pipes which are connected with a hydrocarbon-oil supplyand enter the chambers A B, respectively, and are provided with suitablevalves whereby oil or vapor may be sprayed or otherwise admitted intosaid chambers.

\Vithin the chambers A B are open-work fire-brick or other suitablerefractory substances. Surmounted. on the fire-brick S are concave andconvex blocks T of fire-brick or other suitable refractory material.

In the pipe His an opening U, for directing gases to the hydraulic mainor other place for use or consumption, and at the bottom of the chamberA is a pipe Y, which is connected with an oil-supply and adapted forspraying or admitting hydrocarbon oil or vapor into said chamber.

\Vithin the chamber D are loosely piled bars Z, of metal or othersuitable refractory material, and said chamber D is provided with avalve A for admitting air thereinto.

. The operation is as follows: I start a light fire in the lower part ofchamberA- and simultaneously admit air through valve L with a spray ofoil, regulated by valve Y, which creates a combustion of intenseheating-power in the lower part of the chamber A, and passing up throughthe loosely-piled brick-work has the effect to intensely heat the same.After a time these hot products of combustion will leave chamberA at ahigh degree of heat, and passing through flue J enter the-chamber B andheat the contents thereof to a high degree, and leaving this chamberthrough flue H pass up through and heat the metal bars contained inchamber D. From thence the products of combustion pass through valve Fand enter the tubes contained in the upper part of the stack E. Thuswhile heating the contents of the chambers A B a moderate amount of heatwill escape, the same being absorbed by the metal bars Z, and to a lessextent by the tubes in the portion E of the stack. Simultaneouslyatmospheric air at ordinary temperature is forced in and around thetubes at the upper end of the stack through inlet 0, which air becomesconsiderably heated on its way to the hottest ends of these tubes, whereit leaves the stack and passes through hot-blast pipe N, and is admittedin regulated quantities thrpugh valve L, and where necessary throughvalve M. When the contents of the chambers A B have become sufficientlyheated, the valves L, M, and F are closed, and oil or hydrocarbon fluidis then admitted, preferably through spraying-pipe Q, and coming incontact with the highly-heated brick-work becomes converted into a richhydrocarbon gas, Simultaneously with the admission of this oil I admit aspray of water in limited quantities through nozzle P, and thiswater-spray is immediately converted into vapor or steam when coming incontact with the metal bars Z. This steam passes through valve G andthrough H, up through the open brick-work in chamber 13, and coming incontact wit-h the hydrocarbon vapors the two pass together through flueJ into chamber A, thence down through the more highly-heated brick-workcontained in this chamber, where the steam becomes de: composed, forminga mixture of carbonic oxide, hydrogen, and hydrocarbon gases, afterwhich the same pass out through flue X, either directly to a hydraulicseal or first through some suitable heat absorbing apparatus, neither ofwhich is shown. The quantity of water sprayed over these bars will begoverned by the amount of carbonic oxide and hydrogen desired in themixture of gases produced, and a much greater amount of water being usedin producing gas of low candlepower than when gas of high candle-poweris desired.

For producing certain kinds of gases it will sometimes be foundadvantageous to admit air in regulated quantities through valve A to mixwiththe steam and hydrocarbon gases. After a time the brick-work in theapparatus-will become so much cooled as to not properly decompose thevapors of water, when it will be found necessary to shut off the oilfrom the chambers A and B and water and air from chamber D, and to againrestore the heats in chambers A and B and D,which is accomplished asbefore described. Should it become desirable to moderately heat thebrick-work in chamber A and more intensely heat the brick-work inchamber B, a slightly proportionate blast may be put on through valve L,and a second blast through valve M will serve to lessen the unconsumedgases, together with any additional oil which may be admitted througheither of the pipes Q or Q, After the chambers have been heated in thisway, the valves L, M, F, and G may be closed and valve K opened. lVa-teris then sprayed over the metal bars as before, and the steam resultingfrom its rapid evaporation will pass in a highly-heated conditionthrough pipe I and valve K, and become still further heated whilepassing up through the open brick-work in chamber A, and meets a sprayof oil coming through the pipe Q or Q, or both, the mixture becomingconverted into a fixed while passing through the openbrick-work inchamber B, from whence it passes out through opening U either directlyto a hydraulic seal or afterhaving first passed through someheat-absorbing device. (Not shown.) 7

lVhen gas rich in carbon is desired, with little or no carbonic oxide, Iomit the water and air and generate the gas by contact with the highly-heated brick-work.

' W hen it is desired to heat the brick-work in chambers A B with gas, Iemploy a special gasproducer for that purpose instead of oil, or theymay be heated by natural gas; also, when it is desired to reduce thecandle-power of gas produced by the oil, natural or other gases may beadmitted through A instead of air, as heretofore described.

hen it is desired to decompose the vapors of water by the use of massesof coal or other solid carbonaceous substances, as well as to heat amass of open brick-work by the use of coal, it can be best accomplishedwith thisapparatus by the omission of the open brickwork in chamber A,depositing therein a mass of coal instead of brick. When operated inthis way, the oil heretofore admitted through valve Y may be omitted,and while the coal is being heated to incandescence by an airblastthrough valve L the produced gas arising from the top of this mass ofcoal is burned by the admission of air through valve M, thereby heatingthe open brick-work in chamber B, as before.

When both the coal and brick-Work have become sufficiently heated, Iclose the airvalves L and M, valves F and G, and open steam-valve K. Ithen simultaneously admit oil into chamber B and water through sprayingdevice P, the result of which is to produce a highly-heated steam, whichis decomposed by passing up through the mass of coal in chamber A,producing the usual mixture of carbonic oxide and hydrogen, which inahighlyheated condition enters chamberB and there mingles with thehydrocarbon gas therein generated and together pass through thehighly-heated brick-work, when the mixture is converted into a fixedgas, after which the same passes out through opening U, as beforedescribed.

These operations of alternately heating the apparatus and producing gascan be continued indefinitely.

I/Vhen desired, air maybe admitted through valve A and mixed with thevapors of water, or separately, and pass up through the mass of coalinstead of brick-work in chamber A, as previously described.

Instead of metal bars in chamber D, other suitable heat-absorbingmaterials may be used; but I prefer the metal.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is j 1. In an apparatus for manufacturinghydrocarbon gas, the combination of the cham- IIS bers A I lined Withrefractory material, each having a filling of 0pen-work refractorymaterial and the chamber A having an outlet 0; in its base, the flue J,connecting said chambers above said refractory filling, the air-blastpipe L, with an injected oil-pipe having the valve Y, said pipeLentering the base of the chamber A, the stack C, with upwardcontinuation E, with interior tubes and an airopening 0, the said stack0 connected to tory material, the tube J, connecting said chambers abovesaid filling, the stack (J, with top and bottom valves F and G andfillingbars Z, the tube'H, connecting chamber Band stack 0 below saidfillings and having side outlet U, thewater-spray pipe P, leading instack 0 above said bars Z, the pipe Lleading from the stack C below saidbars Z to the base of said chamber A, and the hydrocarbonpipes Q,leading into top of said chamber B, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

3. In an apparatus for manufacturing hydrocarbon gas, the combination ofthe chambers A and. B with refractory linings, coal filling in chamberA, and refractory open filling in chamber 13, the connecting-tube J thestack C, With continuation E, having air-opening 0, the hot-air-blastpipe N, With valve M, leading into top of chamber A, the air-blast pipeL, with valve at base of chamber A, the tube H, connecting the chamber Band the stack C below their fillings of open-work refractory materialand having the outlet U, and the pipe 1, leading from stack G to base ofchamber A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

LEON P. lLOlVE.

